The following resolution was passed in July 2000 at the biennial AFT convention.

WHEREAS, United Students Against Sweatshops, founded by activists in July 1998, has, in fewer than two years, created a student movement for worker rights at home and abroad on hundreds of campuses; and

WHEREAS, USAS continues to work to force universities and colleges to take responsibility for the conditions in the factories that make clothing sold in campus bookstores and in stores across the country; and

WHEREAS, universities and colleges profit from sweatshop labor by licensing their names and logos to companies that manufacture these items; and

WHEREAS, USAS wants to put an end to sweatshop labor and has challenged college and university administrations to commit to strong codes of conduct regarding purchasing of apparel; and

WHEREAS, USAS groups are also working with labor unions on living wage campaigns, organizing drives and other important labor struggles; and

WHEREAS, USAS groups are persuading their university administrations to leave the corporate-backed Fair Labor Association, which they regard as too weak to adequately monitor sweatshops, and instead join the Worker Rights Consortium, a new group committed to strong, independent monitoring of sweatshops:

RESOLVED, that the AFT strongly support the United Students Against Sweatshops movement and work together to expand the campaign to end sweatshop labor; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT strongly urge its individual locals to seek out and support all USAS student groups on their campuses.

(2000)